Description:What You Should Know About the Hot New Mineral Cosmetics
© Catherine Solmes
Mineral-based make-up was one of the most talked about beauty trends of 2007. Here is what you should know about it.
Ingredients:Mineral-based make-up was first introduced to consumers in the 1970s but was expensive to make (and to buy), so it was relegated to informercials and word-of-mouth. Thus it was considered a luxury until recently. Lately, a combination of more cost-effective ingredients and production methods and increased interest among consumers for natural products has driven the prices so far down that even drugstore brands such as L'Oréal and Maybelline are incorporating mineral make-up into their product lines.
What is Mineral Make-Up?
Mineral make-up is made from minerals ground into an ultra-fine powder. Different cosmetic companies have different recipies, but most formulas contain titanium dioxide (natural anti-inflammatory and natural sunscreen) and zinc oxide (natural anti-inflammatory), blended with pure pigments (natural colour). Other common ingredients include mica (smooth texture and glow), clay(creamy texture and natural oil absorption) and rice starch(natural emollient and anti-inflammatory). Ingredient descriptions can be found on brand websites or at www.MineralMakeup.ca
Mineral make-up comes in powder form and acts as multiple products in one (foundation, concealer and powder and many brands contain enough SPF to replace daily sunscreen application). There are also mineral-based eyeshadows, blushes, glosses, lipsticks and mascara which share the benefits of the more-common foundation/powder products, but these types of products may contain other ingredients (particularly "wet" products such as lipsticks and mascara) such as oils, waxes and colour. Be sure to check a product's ingredient information if you're concerned about the use of animal by-products or possible skin-irritating ingredients.
Directions:Why use Mineral Make-Up?
The bottom line is that all or most of the ingredients in mineral make-up are good for your skin, unlike petroleum-based make-up products that contain pore-clogging chemicals. Foundation, concealer and powder is great for evening-out skin tone, reducing shine and covering up dark circles and blemishes. But while these products provide coverage, they also prevent your skin from breathing and can prolong or worsen any redness, dryness and blemishes, which creates the need to wear more.
It's what mineral-based make-up lacks that make them so beneficial. There are no (or very few) artificial colours, oils, perfumes or preservatives to clog pores and irritate the skin. But in addition to this, the ingredients in mineral-based make-up is actually good for your skin – hydrating, soothing, anti-bacterial and protective. The best-selling mineral make-up brand, Bare Escentuals, claims that their make-up is so good for the skin, you can actually sleep in it!
More Benefits of Mineral Make-Up
Mineral make-up has a creamy texture and sheer quality, so it feels and looks natural while providing good coverage, and giving the skin a natural, luminous glow. Its consistency allows it to be a foundation, concealer and powder in one (depending on how it is applied) and if the brand contains a high enough SPF, it removes the need for a separate sunscreen.
Because mineral make-up is inert and in powder form, there isn't the same risk of contamination as with non-mineral based make-up and it has a much-longer shelf life.
Mineral make-up stands up to water better than non-mineral based make-up, so it's highly resistant to rainstorms, humid summer days and a few tears. And unlike conventional make-up products, mineral-based make-up won't sink into fine lines and wrinkles or travel over time. With the proper application and a bit of upkeep, the make-up you apply in the morning will last you until you wash it off at night.
Of course not all the brands of mineral-based make-up are made the same, so its important to do your homework before you buy, if you're vegan, or have sensitive skin, or simply want to use the purest thing possible on your skin. This seems more possible than ever now that mineral make-up is in every beauty magazine and on celebrity must-have lists.
Review taken from:
http://beauty-products.suite101.com/article.cfm/mineral_makeupVisit the site for more make up tips and techniques!
